Our man in France Jason Kiely casts his eye over the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat card at Deauville on Sunday.
The summer meeting at Deauville compromises of a series of high-octane, Group One Sunday cards which act as a link between the Parisian Classic racing in the spring and the crucial, autumnal season at ParisLongchamp. This Sunday, the Group One Haras d’Etreham Prix Jean Prat (14.50) marks the beginning of the summer-time festivities at the Normandy-based racecourse, and with over €850,000 on offer across the 10-race card, our Man in France, Jason Kiely, leads the way through Sunday’s card.
GAMES LEADS CHARGE FOR UK RAIDERS
The Group One Haras d’Etreham Prix Jean Prat (14.50) has housed numerous champions in recent seasons and of late, the €400,000 showpiece has been a recreational ground for overseas raiders, with four of the last five winners either trained in the UK or Ireland.
Charlie Appleby’s French darts very rarely land too far from the bullseye and the Newmarket-based handler took this contest in 2020 with Pinatubo, one of two recent winners for the Godolphin blue. A troubled passage and forced tactics saw Modern Games fail to last home in the French Derby a month ago, however, returned to 1,400m, the three-year-old looks a rock-solid contender to land a third Group One on Sunday.
Already a Breeders' Cup and French 2000 Guineas winner, the son of Dubawi looks a shade clear of his 10 rivals this weekend and the straight course at Deauville should benefit Modern Games’ straightforward style of racing. The colt is Charlie Appleby’s only runner on the card and the only mount taken by William Buick on the afternoon, but if Modern Games puts in a similar effort to the one seen in the Group One Poule d’Essai des Poulains on May 15, then he will be difficult to overturn on his third successive start in France.
Perhaps the closest rival to Modern Games is the 114-rated Richard Hannon-trained Lusail. The Al Shaqab Racing-owned three-year-old was carried out on his shield when just failing behind Coroebus at Royal Ascot and was within a length of Perfect Power at Newbury in April. Making his French debut, it would be no surprise to see Lusail put it up to Modern Games, especially as the Hannon yard have won this contest twice since 2010.
Sheila Lavery’s New Energy also lines-up, along with David Simcock’s Light Infantry, however, the pair both have questions to answer following sub-standard performances last-time-out. One of three fillies in the field, the Aiden O’Brien-trained Tenebrism, is the final overseas challenger amongst the eleven-strong line-up. With no female winner of the race in over 20 years, the odds are stacked firmly against the filly, who has yet to hit the board at Group One level.
TEXAS AND ROZGAR FOR FRANCE
Although Andre Fabre’s Tribalist can enter calculations of each-way optimists, the colt has a length to find on Texas, one of the main domestic hopes for Sunday’s feature. It has been a while between drinks at the top table for Chantilly-based trainer Henri Devin, who has decided to freshen up Texas in a bid to break a big-race drought for his team. Second to Modern Games in the French Guineas, Texas has not been seen for 53 days and his front-running style may see him go close on Sunday.
Boasting a completely different profile to Texas and taking a huge leap from Listed, straight into Group One company, Francis-Henri Graffard’s Rozgar has it all to do on Sunday, despite chasing a quick four-timer. The progressive sprinter has been extremely impressive this season, including over course and distance but it is difficult to gauge what exactly he has beaten. Although trained by a genius, Rozgar would need to be a freak to score on Sunday, but each-way punters may find him enticing.
VERDICT : 1. MODERN GAMES; 2. LUSAIL; 3. ROZGAR
OPEN FIELD FOR GROUP THREE SPRINT
The diversity of the results across the last 15 years of this contest says it all – the Group Three Prix de Ris-Orangis (15.25) is literally anyone’s race!
Often regarded as a specialist’s playground, the straight 1,200m at Deauville is always contested at warp speed, with previous course and distance winners usually a safe play.
Strictly on that basis, punters should side with last year's winner Ocean, Charlie Hill’s Garrus, or Fabrice Chappet’s Prince Lancelot, however, all three were well-held last time out and will need to re-produce their best efforts.
Stretched too far when going to a mile on his most recent start, Yann Barberot’s Fast Raaj is superb at sprint distances and has an excellent turn of foot. He is a Group Three winner at Deauville (over 1,400m) and comfortably holds Prince Lancelot on that form. Double handed in the race, Barberot also saddles Bouttemont, the only one of the 11 runners not to have hit the board at stakes level. A winner at Newcastle in April, the four-year-old comes into Sunday’s contest fresh and could be the surprise package of the race.
Mentions should also go to Charlie Fellowes’ Vadream, who rarely runs a bad race at this grade and Clive Cox’s Wings Of War. Both have sufficient form in the book to get involved in this wide-open contest, with preference for the former.
(Cautious) VERDICT : 1. GARRUS 2. FAST RAAJ 3. VADREAM
FIVE LISTED RACES OFFER SUPERB SELECTION
A quintet of Listed races supports the Group action on Sunday, kicked off by a brace of two-year-old contests. In the opener, the 1,000m Prix Yacowlef (12.23), Jerome Reynier’s Wootton City bids to extend his unbeaten score to four. A listed winner in June, the juvenile should be able to fend off all domestic rivals but may face a tough opponent in the shape of George Boughey’s Malrescia.
The second race should go the way of Alessandro Botti’s impressive two-year-old winner Breizh Sky (12.58). Scoring by eight-lengths when making his racecourse debut in May, Breizh Sky looked special when quickening away from the field and although the form is yet to be franked, the colt produced some speedy fractions on the clock.
Jean Claude-Rouget's Valloria finds herself back at a happy hunting ground in the Prix Goldikova (13.33). A listed winner, the four-year-old was fourth in the Gr.1 Prix Jean Prat on this card last term and looks to face her easiest assignment in some time on Sunday.
Although Wings Of War may struggle in the feature, the Clive Cox-trained Harry Three should ensure that the trainer doesn’t leave Deauville empty-handed. A winner of his last two, the three-year-old could take a bit of beating in the Prix Kistena (16.00), with his main rivals looking likely to be Le Cadeau and Haziym.
Perhaps unsuited by the track at Musselburgh, it may be worth reinvesting in the Hollie Doyle-ridden Pearl Glory in the Prix Amadine (16.35). Kevin Philippart De Foy will be hoping that the three-year-old recaptures the sparkle she showed in Group Three company at Lingfield and has found the perfect opportunity, in this wide-open contest.
LISTED RACES VERDICT
- NAP. WOOTTON CITY (12.23)
- N/B. HARRY THREE (16.00)
- E/W. PEARL GLORY (16.35)
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